I'm running 12.04 - I installed kubuntu to try it out and realized that with all the bloatware applications that I didn't want it anymore - I was able to uninstall the kubuntu-desktop but there are still packages left over... How can I make sure I get rid of EVERYTHING Kubuntu installed - even the kde leftovers?

Here's some of what's left when I ran sudo apt-get autoremove kde then "tab" it displayed this:

No - it's not done that. I would install synaptic and then use that to search for the kde things you have installed. It's one of those jobs easier the second time, next time do it with a terminal and copy the output so you know what gets installed.

Can you recommend a first course of action? does this mean I've screwed up my Ubuntu?
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Alex PoulosApr 15 '12 at 12:11

@AlexPoulos Having some extra packages around will not screw up your Ubuntu. Look through the list of packages installed by the kde metapackages, see which ones you are sure you did not have before installing and remove them.
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Chan-Ho SuhApr 15 '12 at 14:24

EDIT: This answer does not work. I am keeping it up simply to document this fact, because I honestly would have expected it to work.

I do not have kubuntu-desktop installed (slow Internet), but running apt-get --dry-run autoremove ubuntu-desktop only removes one package; I reason that kubuntu-desktop would behave similarly.

Props to @Chan-HoSuh and @NRoach44 for commenting persistently enough to make me actually check my answer.

Running sudo apt-get autoremove kubuntu-desktop should fix it. autoremove is the apt-get command to remove a packages and its dependencies.

It is possible that you must first reinstall kubuntu-desktop in order to autoremove it. APT should not, however, redownload the packages (downloaded packages are saved on your computer), but only reinstall them.

That only applies to regular packages. Meta-packages like kubuntu-desktop are basically just wrappers and removing them will not usually remove all its dependencies (one notable exception is gnome-desktop).
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Chan-Ho SuhApr 15 '12 at 13:27

'command to remove packages and its dependencies' In that respect, meta packages are no different.
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NRoach44Apr 15 '12 at 13:31

@NRoach44 The packages listed by the OP as still being installed after removal of kubuntu-desktop are listed as dependencies using apt-cache showpkg and also on the package listing webpage (in contrast to recommends). Perhaps you're making some valid, technical point, but it must involve a definition of "dependency" that is not commonly used.
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Chan-Ho SuhApr 15 '12 at 14:12

its okay guys, I went through and just reinstalled 12.04 anyway.
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Alex PoulosApr 15 '12 at 21:32

1

I wouldn't have thought it, but the behaviour @Chan-HoSuh describes is what happens. Simply try apt-get autoremove --dry-run ubuntu-desktop on a vanilla install to verify.
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zpletanApr 16 '12 at 12:18

These removal commands were created based on what Kubuntu packages were added to a default Ubuntu installation. It's possible that the commands might remove some other packages you have since added to the default and want to keep. If that's the case, keep track of which packages those are and reinstall them. Theoretically, your settings should still be there.

Please attribute the source when you copy and paste -- I edited the original in, although you should so so even if you copied this from one of the two or three AU answers this is floating around in.
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izxJul 8 '12 at 21:44